18 May, 2009
The roll-out of the revised Global Framework Agreement between EDF, French and other national unions, and the ICEM and global federations did not come without workers’ representatives airing the shortcomings to the electric company’s application of its social responsibility principles. In Paris last week, from 12-14 May, EDF senior managers and the trade unions reviewed performance of the agreement through an established joint Consultation Committee for Social Responsibility (CCSR).
A renewed global pact was agreed to in January 2009 for a four-year period. Last week marked the official unveiling and signing of the improved agreement by the social partners, which included the presence of EDF Chairman and CEO Pierre Gadonneix. The meetings also saw the election of a secretary for the workers’ representatives, selection of a six-member bureau to oversee the agreement, and a thorough review of the 22 articles contained in the social responsibility document.
During the review, the 22 workers’ representatives from seven countries did produce a declaration of dissatisfaction on recent corporate performance. It was read to Gadonneix during an extensive question and answer session on 13 May. The declaration specifically cited workers taking industrial actions in France over social degradation, and a break-down in social dialogue at EDF’s four businesses in Poland which caused workers to stage a manifestation at the French embassy in Warsaw on 5 May.
EDF’s CCSR Workers’ Bureau, with Pierre Gadonneix (centre), from left, Guoping Zhou, CCAP, China; Pascal Lambolez, CGT, France; Dominique Tavera, FO, France; Lee Parris, Prospect, UK; Marc Ferron, Secretary, FCE-CFDT, France; and Walentyn Sasim, Solidarnosc, Poland
The declaration also called EDF’s restructurings and financial deals expensive, with workers suffering adverse effects. We “note a general worsening of the social conditions within all subsidiaries of the group, a worsening in job security due to outsourcing, a worsening of both living and working conditions, and a worsening of social dialogue, particularly when it comes to salary negotiations. We cannot accept that workers pay the price for the strategic choices made by the company.”
The workers’ representatives of the CCSR said it refuses to let the agreement be used as mere “social window dressing for EDF” and demanded that managers at all levels of the company “agree and respect without restrictions” the general spirit of all the articles of the global agreement.
Gadonneix responded by saying that he heard the pronouncements of the declaration. He also said he wants the social responsibility agreement to be window dressing for EDF, but that he desires to have “substance inside that window.”
Workers’ representatives on the CCSR come from five different unions inside France, three from the UK, and representation from trade unions of Poland, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Vietnam, and China.
Marc Ferron, representing ICEM French affiliate FCE-CFDT, was re-elected as secretary of the CCSR, and will serve a two-year term leading the global workers’ representatives to ensure EDF compliance with the agreement. The company is rapidly expanding operations both inside Europe and around the world.